Techno Heroes 2 - Love Spark

Chapter 16 - Backfired

-Yen-

Where could she be? Where did Poky go off to, and why? I kept getting a deep feeling of someone kicking at me, or a knife being plunged into my chest. It felt like someone was being taken away from me, and I didn't even know it. "Poky!!" I yelled, running all around the land in hopes to find her. Nothing around me gave a sign of her existence. There was not a single sound that I could pick off from that would help me find anything. 'Where are you, damn it?' I mentally asked.

There was finally a clearing in the woods, the other side of it being an endless drop to death. I turn back around, seeing that the woods magically expanded. I'm never going to get out of here without dying first. I kept running around, poking my head out of the trees, and searching from above. 'Stay strong, Poky' I thought, dashing through the endless amounts of trees.

-Ridget-

Yanko was still in no condition to use any of his spells, the magic slowly entering, then fading out of him. His eyes wandered around the room randomly like a zombie. "Hang in there, Yanko" I said, clutching him tightly in my arms. Yanko's arms went limp, everyone around us sitting down on the ground with us. I couldn't bear watching Yanko struggle to keep himself together. He was cuddling into me so that he felt warm, his breathing stopping randomly, and passing out too.

I'm scared Yanko was having trouble with the body he had now. Did he have an illness? Did I do something that caused this? I felt so responsible for the mess, but I never understood why this was happening. "Ridget" Yanko weakly whispered, me looking to him with surprise. It's been three hours we were quiet, and Yanko finally spoke. "What do you need, Yanko?" I questioned, him trying to stand up. "You're in no condition to move" I warn, sitting him back down.

"I need to find Yen" Yanko replied, me getting confused. "Why?" I demand, him showing the little amount he has left to use of his power. "Yen's the other half of my power since he's an anti version of me" Yanko explained, me thinking about risking this. "You sure?" I ask, Yanko nodding, climbing onto my back, and me carrying him to wherever Yen might me. The other citizens stayed in the basement of the castle protected by our guards. Poky, please be safe.

-Poky-

It was the morning now, and I was asked to have breakfast with the other bandits. I joined them in hopes I wouldn't be making 'a mistake' and be punished again. Just the thought made me shiver. I finish my food last, washing everyone else's plates that I was assigned. The work piled on me made me feel less of a princess as I use to. A whisper from the door caught my attention. I turn to see what I thought was Beetle, but it was the real Polka. "You're real, right?" they asked.

"What would you like to know?" I respond, them rolling their eyes. I stop the cleaning, and stare back at her. "I know you hate it here, so let me help you" Polka said, me grabbing the nearest thing to a weapon, a fork. "I can' trust you, you're a bandit" I reminded, polka nodding. She wore everything I use to, but it had some black stripes like Yen did on his clothes. "Poky, I'm basically you but an anti version, you know I know what's happening" Polka described.

"Promise?" I ask, wishing there was an easy way out of this massacre. "Promise" Polka repeated, us two pinky-promising. "Follow me" Polka said, pulling me over to the halls where there was a hidden doorway. "This is the way out" Polka whispered, pulling back a curtain that covered over grayish doors. I hesitated, wondering how could I stop Beetle though if I leave. "Where's Beetle?" I ask, Polka looking around. "He should be in his throne room" she answered.

I nod, and run to where the Throne room would be. Up ahead, I see a familiar silhouette on the opposite side of me. "Yen?" I whisper stoked, Yen returning the same expression. He runs over to me careful that he wasn't spotted from the doorway. "You were here in this sick place?" Yen whisper shouted, me bobbing my head 'yes'. Seconds later, another person catches up to us. Or maybe two other people. "Ridget? Yanko?" I called, the two giving a big hug.

"We were so worried, but I'm glad to see you still alive" Yanko said, Ridget nodding. "I'm sorry not all of us could stay, one of us have to stay at the castle to rule over the people" Ridget informed, getting up to leave. "Hun, be safe" Yanko waved, Ridget fleeing the way he came. Us three peek from the side of the doorway, Beetle sitting high and mighty on his throne. "Look at that good for nothing creep" Yen gagged, scanning the room for advantage points.

"Yen, I have something to tell you" I started, him sitting closer to me so that Beetle couldn't see us. Yanko took the lead to watch for us, making sure Beetle didn't spot us. "Go on, Poky. You can tell me anything" Yen said, patting my hand in reassurance. I inhale deep, frightened to see his reaction when I tell him what Beetle did. "Don't freak out please, but Beetle...raped me" I spoke, whispering the last part so that Yanko couldn't hear but Yen did. "He...what?" Yen asked.

 I was going to repeat myself, but Yen didn't give me the time to say anything more. "He. Did. What!?" Yen shouted, Beetle's attention being grabbed. "You two, quiet down now" Yanko hushed us, moving his head away from where he was peeking at Beetle. Beetle was getting closer and closer to us the more we didn't do anything about it. I decided to be brave, and step out of the hallway, and in front of Beetle. "Poky, why are you here?" Beetle questioned.

"I... want to talk to you" I respond, Beetle's eyes shifting to one of amusement. "Talk? About what, dear?" Beetle asked, me walking over to sit on one of the thrones. Beetle walked up with me, taking his time to get to his seat. I secretly wave Yanko and Yen in, the two sneaking into the large room. "Uh...talk about how much you've changed the place?" I said uncertain, Beetle's eyes showing great suspicion. "What are you scheming?" he questioned, me growing nervous.

Yanko and Yen still were roaming around the room, using the darkness to their advantage. Beetle sat next to me, every once in a while touching my hair. The uneasiness feeling grew again, my head feeling like it was going to burst. Finally, Yanko and Yen snuck from behind, and waited behind the thrones Beetle and I were sitting on. "I'm not scheming anything, how about you?" I returned, hoping the two were ready to surprise attack Beetle. "Only things with you" he spoke.

Yen's mind snapped, his face held a killer look. Just as I was about to say to wait, Beetle saw Yen already, and grabbed my arm. I felt my heart drop, and everything felt so fast. Yen's eyes widened, his mouth slightly open, but no sound coming out. I look down to where Yen's weapon landed. Plunged right where my heart was, Yen's weapon stabbed through, me coughing up blood. Beetle used me as a human shield, Yen was shaking with fear, he didn't know how to feel.

Yanko noticed the state I was in, and stayed hidden, scared that he would hurt me too accidentally if he tried to hurt Beetle. "You see what I meant when I said I need you?" Beetle reminded, my eyes widening from pain, and looking up to see Beetle's red eyes glint. "You won't get away with this..." I weakly groan, Beetle laughing at my state. "Darling, I already have" he said, Yen trying to kill Beetle, but Beetle tossed spears at him that stabbed through Yen.

The spears kept him in the wall, many piercing through his body from the neck, chest, leg, hand, and head as well. I screamed out from fear, Beetle holding me back so I couldn't save Yen. "Like I said, I already have" Beetle repeated, me kicking off Beetle. "Why are you doing this to me!?" I screech, Beetle pulling me back with a extra pair of arms. "Your mother didn't love me, so I'll make sure you do, no choice given!" Beetle shouted, me wobbling around, attempting to flee.

A grunt sound caught my attention. I stop to see why I don't feel a strong grip on me anymore. Just behind me was Beetle with a sword in his head, but not just that. The owner of the sword was just behind him holding that handle. Yanko managed to slay Beetle from stabbing through the back of his head. Beetle still smiled, me being very horrified of the sight. "You're dead now, what's so funny"? I angrily spoke, Beetle pointing behind himself before passing out.

Beetle's body hits the floor, the person who was Yanko standing there completely frozen. "Yanko?" I interrogate, him looking down to his heart where a spear was shot through. I run up to help him, the spear pressing further in when he hit the ground. I help Yen first who was still pinned to the wall by Beetle's other spears. "Yen, I got you in my arms" I hint, Yen not responding. I lay him beside Yanko, placing the two on the thrones that were available.

I pull out the weapons from their bodies, ripping off my sleeves of my shirt to use as bandages for their wounds. Yanko had one of my sleeves around his chest, and Yen had my other sleeve around his head. I step back to see what else I could do to help. Yanko was now fully covered, but Yen had more spots needed to be covered. Oh god, what should I do? Yanko got hit in the heart, and Yen got hit in his brain. How the living hell do I help the two live?

And what about myself? I got hit too in the heart. How long do I have?